LibraryReads: March 2025

[Editors Note: With the 15th on a Saturday but today being a holiday, Library Reads released their list on 2/14/25. Since that was also the 2025 Summer Scares Title release day, I am posting the March 2025 LibraryReads 1 business day late. Back to the regularly scheduled LR programming]

      

 It's LibraryReads day and that means four things here on RA for All

1. I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.
2. I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about LibraryReads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips through this archive OR the sortable master list allowing you to mix and match however you want.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any LibraryReads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.
4. Every upcoming book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.

So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.

Please remember to click here for everything you need to know about how to participate. Click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month.

And finally, here is LibraryReads' extremely helpful Resources page.

Now let's get to the March 2025 list.... 

Saltwater: A Novel

Katy Hays

(Ballantine)

A normal family might have stopped visiting Capri after one of them “accidentally” fell off a cliff, but the  Lingates are far from normal. Wealthy enough to shrug off the scandal, they've only become more insular in the decades since. Sarah and Lorna scheme to finally learn the truth, but then Lorna vanishes. This narrative unveils the family's toxicity as it alternates between three POVs.

—Sarah Walker, Indianapolis Public Library, IN

NoveList read-alike: The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

Now for the rest of the March 2024 list!

Promise Me Sunshine

Cara Bastone

(Dial Press)

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance. This is a beautifully written love story that features the exploration of grief.

—Karen Troutman, LibraryReads Ambassador

NoveList read-alike: PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

The River Has Roots

Amal El-Mohtar

(Tordotcom)

Sisters Esther and Ysabel are among the lucky few to have found their way home after getting lost in the land of Faerie. When Esther falls in love with a stranger, a darkness threatens to separate the sisters forever. An enchanting story of the bonds of sisterhood and the magic of Faerie for readers who love a good riddle song or murder ballad.

—Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: Faeboundby Saara El-Arifi

Broken Country 

Clare Leslie Hall

(Simon & Schuster)

Beth is in mourning due to the death of her son when her first love moves back to town. A chain of events

takes place that alters their lives. Unfolding with the urgency of a thriller, this novel deftly explores topics such as first love, sacrifice, and deep loyalty.

—Theresa Bond, Middlesex Public Library, NJ

NoveList read-alike: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

All the Other Mothers Hate Me

Sarah Harman

(G.P. Putnam's Sons)

Florence is a washed-up girl group singer and a hot mess. She skates through life, having no qualms about manipulating people to get what she wants. When her son is accused of a horrible crime, she investigates, but with morals so gray, can she actually bring a killer to justice? All the other mothers hate her—with good reason—yet readers will root for her.

—Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: Regrets Only by Kieran Scott

The Story She Left Behind 

Patti Callahan Henry

(Atria)

Clara receives a phone call regarding a letter from the mother who abandoned her when she was young and who is now presumed dead. From the moment Clara and her precocious daughter Wynnie arrive in London to get the letter, a series of coincidences change their lives. A novel of love, motherhood, forgiveness, and being open to possibilities while knowing yourself.

—Judy Sebastian, Eastham Public Library, MA

NoveList read-alike: The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper

Wild Dark Shore

Charlotte McConaghy

(Flatiron)

A gripping novel of a father and his children residing on a remote island, frantic to protect the last remaining seeds for future generations. Their lives are disrupted when an injured woman washes ashore. Mutual interest in the natural world enhances their passionate connection, despite a tense urgency for

the truth. An immersive novel of family, nature, and the ties that bind.

—KC Davis, LibraryReads Ambassador, CT

NoveList read-alike: The High House by Jessie Greengrass

Go Luck Yourself

Sara Raasch

(Bramble)

This delightful follow-up to The Nightmare Before Kissmas follows Kris, the other Christmas Prince, and Loch, the Prince of St. Patrick's Day. There's a bit of mystery and political intrigue, as well as passionate banter. Great for readers looking for fun holiday rom-coms with a bit of spice that can be read outside of the winter holidays.

—Katelyn Tjarks, Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD

NoveList read-alike: The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky

The Shots You Take

Rachel Reid

(Carina Adores)

Riley is drowning in grief. Adam—his ex-best friend and first love—slips back into his life, determined to offer support and make amends for some seriously devastating decade-old mistakes. The emotional maturity of these two forty-something men will land perfectly with readers looking for heartfelt romance.

—Jessica Freytag, Granville Public Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: Wake Up, Nat & Darcy by Kate Cochrane

Murder by Memory

Olivia Waite

(Tordotcom)

Dorothy Gentleman, ship’s detective on the Fairweather, is trying to solve a mystery in which the victim has been erased completely. There is a very real possibility that she herself is inhabiting the body of the killer, due to an emergency action by the ship's mind. Waite has come up with something insanely clever and truly original.

—Jill Minor, Washington County Public Library, VA

NoveList read-alike: The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older

Board Bonus picks:

The Dream Hotel

Laila Lalami

(Pantheon) 

Notable Nonfiction: 

Sucker Punch: Essays

Scaachi Koul

(St. Martin's Press)

See our social media for annotations of the bonus picks

Click here to see the entire Hall of Fame

The LibraryReads Hall of Fame designation honors authors who have had multiple titles appear on the monthly LibraryReads list since 2013. When their third title places on the list via library staff votes, the author moves into the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the Hall of Fame authors organized in alpha order.

The Jackal's Mistress: A Novel

Chris Bohjalian

(Doubleday)

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

Elle Cosimano

(Minotaur Books)

Fan Service

Rosie Danan

(Berkley)

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

Stephen Graham Jones

(Simon & Schuster)

Ward D

Freida McFadden

(Poisoned Pen Press)

Kills Well with Others

Deanna Raybourn

(Berkley)

When the Moon Hits Your Eye

John Scalzi

(Tor Books)

Just Our Luck

Denise Williams

(Berkley)

This Book Will Bury Me

Ashley Winstead

(Sourcebooks Landmark)